A handling module for handling vehicle wheels in an installation for the surface treatment thereof and having at least two gripping units which are supported by a frame structure and each of which comprises a plurality of press-on elements which are pressable onto one or more counter surfaces of an individual vehicle wheel. At least one of the gripping units includes a translation device by which the press-on elements are movable in relation to the frame structure with a movement component which is parallel to the axis of rotation of a gripped vehicle wheel.